Do you use plain ol cables to connect your pedals?

AlstottMVP2 · #1 07-30-2008, 08:09 PM

I'm building a pedal board. My guitar player tells me that I need special thicker gauge wires (those short 3-inch ones that connect the pedals). I'm using the plain ol $3.99 cables from musiciansfiend.

Do any of you use thicker gauge cables to preserve your frequencies? Or is my guitarist simply delusional?

Nick Kay · #2 07-30-2008, 08:12 PM

The guitarist is delusional. Anything that can carry instrument-level signal safely (ie: just about any wire you can buy) is fine for connecting pedals together. The thicker ones may be more durable, but durability is a secondary concern on a pedalboard, IMO.

niftydog · #3 07-30-2008, 08:25 PM

Thicker gauge? For what purpose I wonder!?

Cables are an eternal debate akin to creationism vs. evolution, but there are some REAL physical attributes that can alter the performance of a cable. Wire gauge might have some small effect, but that would be utterly swamped by the more important characteristics such as cable capacitance and resistive losses.

Personally, I save my hard earned money for the important things in life and use mostly mid-range priced cables.

OptimusPrime · #4 07-30-2008, 08:31 PM

I use 6"-12" LiveWire patch cables. They're like $4 each. Have worked fine for over a year.

Jim Breece · #5 07-30-2008, 08:43 PM

"If you can't hear the difference, you probably don't need them." I can't, I don't, have a nice day.
A better cable IMAO will last longer before it craps out or starts crackling, but I've never heard a change in the basic sound going from cheap to expensive or thin to thick. Since you won't be stepping on, pulling on or manhandling the cables in your pedalboard much or often, my own feeling is that you're ahead to get decent not boutique cables and save the money for something where you will hear a difference. Obviously those endorsing boutique cables feel differently and maybe they really do hear "a blanket taken off their amp" with expensive cables, but I never could. Different situation for speaker cables for a bass amp when you're running a lot of power- bigger wire can make a difference there. If you have the opportunity, try various cables and see if you do hear a difference. Bitter arguments have been waged on this subject but I'm firmly in the "can't hear it, don't need it" camp.

Dave Muscato · #6 07-30-2008, 08:53 PM

Don't use super-cheap cables, but IMHO, anything above $20/each is a waste of money.

The guitarist in my band uses $80/ea cables to connect his pedals. But, he can also tell FROM THE SOUNDBOOTH (he sometimes asks me to check his gear for him, so he can hear it from the audience's perspective) when his tuner pedal is in the signal path or not.

If you can't hear the difference blindfolded, don't worry about it.

mrokern · #7 07-30-2008, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlstottMVP2

I'm building a pedal board. My guitar player tells me that I need special thicker gauge wires (those short 3-inch ones that connect the pedals). I'm using the plain ol $3.99 cables from musiciansfiend.

Do any of you use thicker gauge cables to preserve your frequencies? Or is my guitarist simply delusional?

Delusional.

While he's at it, why don't you send him to:

http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3429.asp

for his Cat5 cable needs. My company is a Denon dealer, and I'll gladly take commission from a fool...whoops, I mean, discerning listener.

-Mark

PS-I have never seen a valid double-blind A/B test for cable. There's a reason for that.

coolrunner989 · #8 07-30-2008, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OptimusPrime

I use 6"-12" LiveWire patch cables. They're like $4 each. Have worked fine for over a year.

Yep, same here. Durable, easy to use, and as long as you're not doing some insanely complicated, over the top, demanding pedalboard design/layouts, they work great. I wont spend more money on cables until I have a better job and can afford to splurge on stuff that only makes a tiny bit of difference, or until I'm "done" with pedals.
The first option will come around first I think

jucas · #9 07-30-2008, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlstottMVP2

I'm building a pedal board. My guitar player tells me that I need special thicker gauge wires (those short 3-inch ones that connect the pedals). I'm using the plain ol $3.99 cables from musiciansfiend.

Do any of you use thicker gauge cables to preserve your frequencies? Or is my guitarist simply delusional?

Is this the guy telling you that a passive volume pedal is going to be vastly different than a passive volume control on a bass? Even though you're playing an active? ( I think that was your thread...)

I'd say everyone else in the thread is right and the guitarist might not be the best source for technical issues. If you can hear the difference, that's cool... and those cheap ones do just die sometimes, but durability is probably going to be the biggest noticible improvement.

Also... when I finally did upgrade my cables not too long ago, it ended up being to a thinner guage cable.

Bassbasixx · #10 07-31-2008, 03:57 AM

I use live wire speaker cables and instrument cables and just picked up some Gig lines angled patch cables from Quantum Audio designs oxygen free whatever that means they seem to be of good quality IMO not really cheap nor expensive 10.00 each at a small music store by me. I don't hear any audible difference in the more expensive brands. Not saying expensive is bad so settle down, but feel it really don't play into effect till there long connections. My speaker cables are not even speakon but there only 3 feet. I don't know if I would hear a difference with those or not but all seems well IMO.

wazzel · #11 07-31-2008, 06:32 AM

I use the cheap proco patch cables now. You know the ones from musicians friend that are $9.99 for 6. I plan on getting some better ones made from bayou cables once all my pedals are bought.

K2000 · #12 07-31-2008, 01:51 PM

I've become a fan of the George L's, which let you cut the length of your cable to whatever you need... no extra cable keeps your pedal board neat. Also, the cable is slim and can snake through some tight spots. I also think 90 degree plugs are a must-have.

mrokern · #13 07-31-2008, 02:00 PM

Just to stay on-topic...

I use the little Live Wire patch cables Guitar Center has in those bins on the counters for $4.99. No noise, work just fine, and at 5 bucks a pop I can afford to keep a couple of spares on hand.

-Mark

4StringsEnough · #14 07-31-2008, 04:13 PM

+1 for George L's.

B.C. · #15 07-31-2008, 04:18 PM

Yeah, I use the planet waves because I got the cable pack for cheap. Use a cable that is well built, but spending massive amount of money isn't going to do anything IMHO and IME.

rootshock · #16 07-31-2008, 04:22 PM

I never liked George L's, I don't like driving the screw through the shielding. Maybe that's cause I know how to solder... They're also $$$ for being solder-less.

Screwing through the shielding is really only an issue before the signal gets to line voltage though, or for long runs. I wouldn't use a solder-less connection for an instrument.

** Why not build your own? **

You can get Canare GS-6 for around $0.60/ft, solder on some Neutrik elbows for around $2/pc and be done w/ it. You can get all kinds of groovy colors, which also have the benefit of making it easy to see if someone is walking off with your cables.

I'll never buy a premade cable again. Make all your Speakon cables too, and save $$$ for things that are worth it.

rustynuts · #17 07-31-2008, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rootshock

I never liked George L's, I don't like driving the screw through the shielding. Maybe that's cause I know how to solder... They're also $$$ for being solder-less.

Screwing through the shielding is really only an issue before the signal gets to line voltage though, or for long runs. I wouldn't use a solder-less connection for an instrument.

** Why not build your own? **

You can get Canare GS-6 for around $0.60/ft, solder on some Neutrik elbows for around $2/pc and be done w/ it. You can get all kinds of groovy colors, which also have the benefit of making it easy to see if someone is walking off with your cables.

I'll never buy a premade cable again. Make all your Speakon cables too, and save $$$ for things that are worth it.

What he said....

Planet Boulder · #18 07-31-2008, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OptimusPrime

I use 6"-12" LiveWire patch cables. They're like $4 each. Have worked fine for over a year.

They're twice that price at my local Mullet Center.

cheapbasslovin · #19 08-01-2008, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rootshock

I never liked George L's, I don't like driving the screw through the shielding. Maybe that's cause I know how to solder... They're also $$$ for being solder-less.

Screwing through the shielding is really only an issue before the signal gets to line voltage though, or for long runs. I wouldn't use a solder-less connection for an instrument.

** Why not build your own? **

You can get Canare GS-6 for around $0.60/ft, solder on some Neutrik elbows for around $2/pc and be done w/ it. You can get all kinds of groovy colors, which also have the benefit of making it easy to see if someone is walking off with your cables.

I'll never buy a premade cable again. Make all your Speakon cables too, and save $$$ for things that are worth it.

Does someone make 90 degree connectors without the huge screw-on housing (like the George L's) that are solderable (unlike the George L's)? I have never seen such a thing, but would be very interested if I did.